Sunday, November 30, 2014

Upcycled Fingerless Gloves!

So this idea just popped in my head today...
I should be doing other things, 
but I just got too giddy with the notion of a quick little project.

Behold! 
I upcycled my son's "too small" socks into Fingerless Gloves!



Just find some socks around the house.
You know they're there. Just taking up space: in a dust rag or waiting to be donated bin.

These particular socks fit Will when he was 4 years old, if that gives you any indication of sizing.


So I've found my socks, the next step is to cut the toes off.
You don't have to be too exact on this as the raw edge tends to roll.


Then comes the Thumb Hole.
In most of these "Character Socks" the trademark/copyright for said characters is somewhere
on the bottom of the foot. 

If its there, flatten the sock out and grab your sissors again...


I made my hole smaller than I thought would be necessary due to stretchage.
This placement also allows for the Heel to act as the Thumb Gusset. 
Magical!


Then try on for size!


Yay! You're done!

Unless...
you want to do a little Blanket Stitch on the raw edges of the Fingers and Thumb.

I opted not to finish off with stitching and just let them be.
I'm not looking at these to become heirlooms 
and it would take away from...
 my lightning fast start to finish time!





Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Crochet Hoop of Sunshiny Goodness!

With the abundance of Snow piled on us today
I thought a Sunshine Crochet Hoop 
would be in order!

This was a little "extra" for SonjaBoo in the
Box Full of Sunshine swap.

I just took a Thrift Store Hoop and some
yellow Stash Yarn and crocheted around it.



Sure, it was a bit awkward at times 
(the hoop was one of those old metal ones)
but I enjoyed using something
for a totally different purpose than what it was intended for.



So while I'm flabbergasted by the amount of snow 
outside my window and long for the sun...

I wouldn't want all this white stuff to melt.
First of all, the inevitable flooding would reek havok!
Second of all it's Thanksgiving!
I should be able to put up with the snow until at least Jan 1st.

Then Snow better beat it.
Snow and I are not friends after Christmas.

You know nothing...Snow!

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Potter Switch-plate!


Almost a 1 1/2 years ago (during summer), 
I developed a strained thumb.

It seriously messed with my Crafty Mojo!
I couldn't crochet (which is what I think caused the strain),
knit, or embroider. 

What's a Crafty Girl to do?

I could hold a marker!


Even though Melissa's Birthday wasn't until February, 
I made this Potter Switch-plate for her and held onto it
for months and months...




I'm terrible with Secrets like that!!!!

But I persevered.
Somehow...

For the details:
I found the Switch-plate at the Thrift Store.
Sketched the design "free hand" with pencil.
Colored in with Oil Based Sharpies.


"Happiness can be found in the darkest of times,
when one only remembers to turn on the light."
-Albus Dumbledore



Watson Wedding Tea Wallet!

A Tea Wallet can save your life.
But it takes John Watson to save your life.
Hence...
I'm calling this the John Watson/Mary Morstan Wedding Tea Wallet!



As those who know me, 
and those who read this blog have probably 
caught on to, I have an obsession with BBC Sherlock.

(Stick with me here... I'm going to make the naming of my tea wallet reference work)

In the 3rd series/2nd episode our lovely John Watson weds Mary Morstan.
The venue for the wedding is GORGEOUS! 
All in pale yellows.

In Sherlock's Best Man speech,
 (watch this please, it's nothing short of amazing and takes most of the episode :) )
he centers around the theme of 
"Sherlock solves the crime, but John saves the life".


Tea on the go has saved me many times.
As a recent-ish devotee to tea, I'm still super particular 
about which ones I like.
It's great to just reach into my purse and have my favorites
at hand rather than force down a blend I'm not familiar with.
Also, I've cut caffeine out completely (whew!)
so to have a tea I like and be decaf just "available" at a
moments notice is the best!

So, this yellow hued Tea Wallet I dedicate to that most epic of Best Man Speeches.
(I still tear up when I watch it, and I watch it a LOT!)


The details:
I stitched this up originally for SonjaBoo in the Box of Sunshine Swap.
I had enough fabric to make a twin for myself (YAY!).
The tutorial was found at Handmade Therapy: (Here's the link it's GREAT!)

Just for giggles, I'll include another favorite part of mine in his speech:






Thursday, November 20, 2014

What happened to my Blog Pics?

Quick note here...
I've recently (yesterday) gotten a new toy.
A tablet.

i was playing around with said tablet today, you know we were getting to know each other,
when...

I removed the gallery app.

Little did I know that this might be the most headachy thing!

Now, on every device BUT the new tablet (including my computer), mcmaven haven pictures are gone!

I'll be taking lots of aspirin and trying to figure this out.

My apologies if you came here via Pinterest and found a big-fat-annoying-no-picture-post.

GRRRRR!

UPDATE:
Kind of "Good news, Bad news"...

Good News:
We were able to find the pictures!
The do, in fact, still exist. HOORAY!

Bad News:
It looks as if I need to reupload every picture in every single post.
Bah Humbug.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Finn and Jake Clock of Mathmatical Awesomeness!

I have always wanted to "alter" a clock...
Just to see if I could.







I made this for GrindHouseHussy19 in the Frozen Swap as an "extra".
We had so many of the same fandomish loves
we'd agreed to do some Frozen goodies 
and also branch out for a few more items.

The details:
This was a $5 Target Clock.
Removing the clock mechanism was relatively easy
needing only a screwdriver (not sonic) and some sass.
The front glass...
not so much.
I cracked it with the removal effort!
I went ahead anyway and painted the original clockface with 
Land of Ooo Sky Blue.
Or, it resembles Finn's shirt color closely too,
think what you will.

Then, lining up the original clockface center hole
with the Finn/Jake image 
I reattatched the clockwork.
I made sure to insert some batteries to make
absolutely sure
the clock hands worked as they should.
I watched it for about 1/2 a day.
Not the whole time,
that would be crazy.
I love crafting, but I don't think I 
could watch just one clock for that long.

Elsa Ami!

Let it Go!
This was hooked up for Grindhousehussy19 in the last Frozen Swap on Craftster.

Elsa is such a favorite,
Halloween became a big game of "How many Elsa Costumes did you see?"!

I think I counted a good 20.


I adapted Sahrit Freud-Weinstein's 
Merida Amigurumi princess doll crochet pattern on Ravelry
to Elsa's look.

Her Cape is just a simple Granny Square in sparkly silver stash yarn
turned on its point and sewn on.



But wow, did I get super carried away with her hair!
I just kept adding and adding and then, 
when done,
I realized I needed to use some serious magic 
to braid the mane of icy wonder.

Enter my fantastic friend of Winter, Melissa!


It was a tough braid to achieve with all
my different length strands going on.

So a big Thank You to Melissa!
You're worth melting for!